Karly* is acclimating to a new country where the Lord has called her to serve. Almost daily, she follows a set of prompts that help her explore and pray for her new city. Recently, she was guided to a historical seaside neighborhood to prayer-walk and ask the Lord for someone to interact with.
As she walked along the wooden planks, Karly heard someone calling, “Hello! Hello!” Turning, she saw a man on his porch, smiling and waving. They chatted for a few minutes over his front gate. Soon Andrew invited Karly to come in and see his home.
In the front room, his aunt was resting on the floor. Andrew* showed Karly pictures of his grandparents, the original immigrants of his family from China, who had built the place. He showed her his family’s gods, including Buddha and Mazu, a goddess of the sea.
After talking about his family gods, he turned to Karly and said, “You’re a Christian, right?” Karly acknowledged that she is a follower of Jesus. Andrew shared that he had visited a few churches out of curiosity. “Sorry, please excuse me for saying this, but it all seemed empty rituals and academic lecture. I don’t mean to offend you. I just share my perspective as an outsider.” Andrew had approached the different pastors after visiting each service to ask questions. “But it seemed they just wanted me to ‘surrender’ or to give me more lectures. I just want to discuss. I have an Asian mind. I need to understand how things fit together.”
Karly told him that she and her friends like to discuss the Bible at home. She asked if he and his family would be interested in this. Andrew gladly accepted and invited her to come back two days later. At the appointed time, Karly and friend from her house church arrived at Andrew’s home. Together they read the story of a paralyzed man healed by Jesus (Mark 2). Andrew loved how Karly and her friend worked together to act out the story and then retold it in their own words.
Andrew immediately told the story to his aunt, who cannot walk well. He asked her if she would let them pray for her healing. Upon realizing the prayer was free, unlike the prayers from the Buddhist monks and shamen, she agreed. Karly prayed as Andrew translated for his aunt. “The real cat is the one who catches the mouse,” said Andrew’s aunt as a way of explaining why they pray to several different gods and are then willing to devote themselves to the one that answers prayer.
Each week Andrew shared the stories Karly shared with several people and sent them on to others. Recently, however, it’s been hard for Karly to meet with Andrew. Please pray for Andrew’s availability and interest to grow so he might be a conduit for many to hear the good news and become disciples of Jesus.
*pseudonyms